


Do You Have a Rewards Card?

by Homer



Series: Supergirl - College AU Prompts [6]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Gas Station AU, Gen, Kara's a gas station attendant, Lena's an overworked/over studious doctorate student, Meet-Cute, Mild Blood, Mild Injury, One Shot, it's like the coffee shop au but like - idk more jank? lmao, this exists now I guess?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-03-05 16:53:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18832762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Homer/pseuds/Homer
Summary: Lena's an overworked, over-studious doctorate student who's perpetual problems is running out of gas and looking for a quick caffeine fix. Kara's a gas station attendant with wild hours.





	Do You Have a Rewards Card?

**Author's Note:**

> **It's not explicitly stated, but Kara's also in college in this fic. Lena's the genius she is and is already on her doctorate.**
> 
>  
> 
> /
> 
> This has been in my mind for awhile, and so I wrote this instead of working on my machine design homework. So you're welcome, I guess? I hope you enjoy it, this is kinda a dumb AU. I have another one in mind sort of like this...??? but I never did anything with it. 🤷♀️
> 
> As always, HMU or yell at me on Tumblr @uhb-sessed

                Lena pulled her BMW next to the open gas pump. Her phone said this was the cheapest gas on her way to work without more than a five-minute detour.

                A faint chime was heard as she pushed open the door into the small convenience store of the station. She quickly strode back towards the coolers, more specifically the energy drink section. She grabbed two java Monsters (they were on a 2 for $5 deal, okay?) and made her way back towards the cash registers.

                Setting the drinks on the counter, she spoke. “I’ll also need twenty over on pump six.” Looking up from digging for cash in her purse, she noticed there was no cashier. Her brows furrowed. A quick glance around revealed there was no one else in the store. “Hello?”

                Precariously, she leaned forward on tippy-toes in her heels and peered over the counter. A body was sitting cross-legged on the tile floor, leaning deep into a cabinet. A now rather obvious loud swishing sound could be heard.

                “Uh, excuse me?”

                No response.

                Maybe a little louder. “Excuse me?”

                The figure jumped. Well, as much as a cramped body could jump when half inside a cabinet. “OUCH, what the fr-“ a hand came up to rub a blonde head. The cashier’s arms were braced behind her body, head tilted back so far Lena could finally see her face, though upside-down.

                “Oh! Hi, sorry. I was trying to organize some receipts. Half the people who work here just throw them in that drawer and don’t ever glance at them again.”

                The blonde cashier with a nametag that read… Kara? (her nametag was also upside-down) had a wide smile on her face for someone who just banged their head on a metal cabinet. Her glasses were also cock-eyed on her face, not that the woman seemed to notice.

                “It this all for you, ma’am?”

                “Twenty on pump six, please.”

                “Absolutely. Your total is $25.20.”

                Lena handed over the cash.

                “Do you have a rewards card?”

                “No.”

                “Would you like one? You can earn free drinks and gas discounts, among other things.”

                “Perhaps another time. I’m in a bit of a rush.”

                “Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t know. Here’s your change, $4.80. Have a nice evening!”

/

                Lena was on her way to work. It had been a hectic week, her division had had a few major setbacks and so she was working more overtime than her normal overtime. Which meant that even as a doctorate student, her attention span finally started to wane.

                She sighed when she saw her gas light turn on.

                Her phone, again, said that the stop with the awkward cashier had the cheapest gas in the area. Then again, it was nearing ten at night, so there was always the possibility the woman wasn’t working. A twenty-four hour gas station can’t run on one cashier. _Cashieress? Is that a thing? Like waiter and waitress? That makes sense. I think. I need caffeine._

                She parked at one of the open pumps and made her way inside, shivering at the cool air. The weather was finally starting to change, it was well into November and only a few tress hung on to a stripped image of life.

                The automated bell jingled, and Lena shuffled back towards the energy drinks.

                _Fuck it_ , she thought, and grabbed three assorted drinks in flavors that looked good.

                “Just these and twenty-five on pump two.”

                “Sure thing.”

                The cashier turned out to be the same woman as before, but had apparently been reading a book to pass the time. The font was loopy and hard to read the title, but the author was a Michio Kaku.

                Lena absent-mindedly handed over some cash, wracking her brain to think of where she’d heard that name before.

                “Did you have a rewards card?”

                “Oh, ah, no.”

                “Would you like one?”

                “Maybe next time.”

                “Okay.” _Kara, was it?_ Pushed a few buttons and handed her back her change. “$3.70 is your change. Have a good night!”

                “We’ll see how it goes.”

/

                The metal clink of cans on countertop was louder than Lena expected. “Sorry.”

                “It’s okay,” Kara started, as she scanned the items with a beep. “Honestly though, if you keep drinking those you’re gonna collapse someday. I’ve always been hoping I _wouldn’t_ have to use my CPR skills at work.”

                “Just look for my DNR bracelet and you wouldn’t have to,” Lena jokes.

                Kara looks at her wide eyed.

                “I’m kidding, it’s okay,” Lena laughs. “That was a little darker than I normally joke. I’m sorry.”

                Kara smiles back tentatively, with a bit of worry still tinting her eyes.

/

                Lena never looked up the prices of gas anymore, going to Kara’s gas station was almost automatic. She would never admit it, but it was nice to be one friendly terms with someone who had no idea who she was day-to-day. She was someone who wasn’t directly affiliated with work, or university, or somehow involved with her dramatic family.

                But she wouldn’t call her a friend. Acquaintance, maybe.

                Lena was going to just get a regular coffee today instead of the ‘carbonated death drinks,’ as Kara affectionately called them. As she stepped into the store, the clerk was someone else. A quick glance at the nametag read Winn.

 

                “Do you have a rewards card?”

 

                If she went back and bought a few energy drinks for later, Kara never had to know.

/

                The roads were terrible. Iced over, snow still falling, city snowplows a constant.

                But was work cancelled? No. Why would it be?

                Lena pulled into a parking spot, in desperate search of a hot, overly-sugared extra-large gas station cappuccino. Puffy parka throw over her shoulders and a scarf to her face, Lena was glad she had the forethought to put her lab glasses in her front seat. They may look dumb in the middle of a blizzard, but it’s the best way to be able to keep your eyes open in all the wind and snow.

                She was almost to the door when a figure stepped out into the cold, minus a jacket. They had on a visibility vest with reflectors, though it being made of mesh would do nothing but flop around.

                The gas station was surprisingly busy, considering the weather conditions. Lena could only imagine that the grocery stores were busier.

               

                Armed with a cup of hot ‘Mocha Charge’ + a shot of prepacked expresso she found, Lena made way to shuffle back to her car. Outside, she looked up and saw Kara walking towards the dumpster, two bags of trash in hand. Then Kara slipped.

                The image reminded Lena of those old cartoons where the character’s arms both went up and helicoptered to try to compensate for slipping on a banana peel, and she almost laughed, if it wasn’t for seeing a car sliding towards Kara, unable to brake on the ice.

                “Kara!”

                Lena wasn’t sure if she should run out and try to help the other woman up, or hope to god she doesn’t get hit.

                Lena decided to move.

                Or try to, anyway. Her first few steps couldn’t gain any traction on the slick sidewalk.

                Thankfully, the car stopped before hitting the woman.

                Lena darted out, cappuccino forgotten. Kara was groaning. _Was that blood?_

                “Hey, hey. It’s Lena. Are you okay?”

                All Lena got in response was a collection of groans and a sniffle.

                “Okay, can you stand? Help me get you up. We need to get you inside, alright?”

                Kara nodded. “Yeahhh- ow. Don’t nod. Hurts.”

                Kara’s bare arms felt frozen even through Lena’s cotton gloves. For now though, she was thankful there was a push door to get inside. Once inside, there was another relief. Kara’s coworker Winn was at the registers. They’d met enough times at this point to be friendly.

                “Winn! Kara fell on the ice, where’s your back room?”

                “Back that way, door’s cracked,” he pointed. “Is she okay?”

                “I’m hoping to find out.”

                Small employee room found, Lena spotted a chair and tried to ease Kara into it. Kara apparently had other ideas and plopped down.

                “Hey, careful now. Don’t bonk your head again. You hit the ground pretty hard.”

                Kara laughed and groaned somehow at the same time. “That’s a funny word. Bonk. Think about it. Bonk!”

                Winn stepped in, first aid kit in hand. “I can’t stay long, but here.” He hands Lena the kit. “I also called our manager, she said she’s on her way.”

                “Bonk, ha ha.”

                “Hey Kara, don’t laugh at too many funny words now. Don’t make that head of yours any worse.”

                “Sure thing, Winn.”

                Winn turned back to Lena. “Whenever she thinks of an odd word she makes fun of it like, all day. She’s fine, she didn’t hit her head that hard. At least, not since Alex accidentally hit her with a softball that one time,” he shrugs. “Speaking of, you might wanna call her. Hey Kara, hand Lena your phone. I gotta go, we’ve got a line.”

                Kara gave herself a pat down. “Ah, here,” she handed her cold phone to Lena. “Alex, my sister. She’s a medic, er, doctor. Whatever.”

                “What’s your password?”

                “Uh, 7873259.”

                Alex was the first contact to come up when she hit dial. “Do you want me to talk or are you okay? I’d like to try and stop your bleeding if I can help it.”

                “I can talk.”

 

                Lena busied herself with snapping on vinyl gloves and searching through the first aid kit as Kara talked to her sister.

                “Hey, Alex.”

                “Yeah, no, uh. I’m hurt?”

                “No – no, yeah. Lena’s here helping.”

                Lena’s eyes flicked up to meet Kara’s.

                “A friend, yeah.”

                “Winn said Wendy’s coming in, I think they’ll let me leave.”

                Lena heard some muffled but loud words coming through the speaker, something along the line’s of ‘ _they better fucking let you!_ ’

                “Okay, yeah. I’ll let ‘er know. Love you, Al,” followed by a softer, quieter “okay.”

 

                It was quiet for a moment; Lena gently applying pressure to the back of Kara’s head, Kara trying to quietly suck in air between her teeth and bearing the pain.

 

                A few minutes later, Winn came back in with some ice in a baggie, along with a roll of paper towels.

                Kara mumbled her thanks while Lena and Winn conveyed their conversation through worried eye contact. Lena made the ice compress.

                After about ten minutes went by, two women made their way into the break room. One walked over quickly and knelt down by Kara.

                “Hey, Kara.”

                “Hey, Alex.”

                The two sisters shared a quiet conversation, while the other unnamed woman in the room stood aloof, still by the door.

                Lena hesitated. Should she stay? Should she go? Well, she could at least give the sisters some space. Alex had already taken over the ice pack anyway. She stepped towards a desk in search of a trash can, carefully taking her gloves off and throwing them away.

                With a silent nod to the unnamed woman, and a last glance at Kara, she left.

/

                As is the perpetual problem, Lena needed gas. The last few times she’d gone, Kara hadn’t been back to work (Alex wanted Kara to take it slow, Winn couldn’t argue. ‘I mean, she’s an MD! ~~Plus, she scares me.~~ ’). Which was fine. Anyone with a head injury should take it slow.

                The fake-sounding bell rang out through the empty-looking store, which signaled a blonde head of hair to pop up from behind the hotbox.

                “Lena! Hey!” Kara beamed.

                Lena almost wanted to laugh at the blonde’s eagerness. “How are you, Kara? Hopefully you’re doing well, seeing that you’re back at work.”

                “They still have my hours cut for now. They’re having me train in a new girl, Nia. You might see her more often than me now,” she shrugs. “Anyway, I have something for you.”

                “Something for me?” Lena raised her eyebrows.

                Kara couldn’t resist a smile. “Yeah! So, I – uh,” she starts, suddenly hesitant. She fakes a cough, clearing her throat. “I have a rewards card for you.”

                “How could you fill out my rewards card without my personal information?” Lena’s voice rose with hostility. “Have you been stalking me? Did my brother – “

                “What? No! It’s not for here, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t even know your last name!”

                “I, I’m sorry, Kara. I’m just paranoid, my family is… well let’s just say they hold a lot against me.”

                “Well I feel like I owe you something too, so here,” Kara digs a card out of her back pocket. “Take it.”

                “What is it?”

                “Like I said, it’s a rewards card. Just look at it.”

                Lena took it.

                It was a fully punched rewards card for a local coffee shop.

                Kara laughed awkwardly. “If we could coordinate our schedules I’d take you there myself to thank you for helping me, but you seem to have just as odd hours as I do. This way, it’s already paid for.”

                Lena thought for a moment.

                “You earn free drinks with a rewards card, you’ve said. Correct?”

                “Yeah. Why?”

                Lena steps closer to the counter, sliding the rewards card back towards Kara, who immediately looks at it with a downcast expression.

                Lena clears her throat.

                “I’d like to sign up for a rewards card, please.”

                “Really!?”

                “Really.”

                “Ah, what about,” Kara gestures vaguely towards the coffee rewards card.

                “I’m off after four?”

                Kara smiles. “I am too.”

                “… now about that rewards card.”

                Kara laughs. “Okay, so there’s a kiosk over here…”

**Author's Note:**

> So, do you have a rewards card? I do. I get free drinks all the time 😂😂 is this just an American thing? I have no idea. Enlighten me if you wish (I am totally suckered into the gas station rewards card business. Sue me [please don't])
> 
> I've been super busy so I haven't had a chance to work on my multichaps, went to my cousin's wedding last weekend, and then I had a three-day work trip that was actually really fun!
> 
> 10 points to whoever figures out that Kara's passcode is! 👀👀  
> Also, highly recommend Michio Kaku's books just like the author I rec'd in Sunburns and Spring Breaks, Carlo Rovelli! I'm a huge nerd irl anyway so I enjoy them at least, haha


End file.
